Pressing quilt seams is a crucial step of any quiltmaking process not only will it make it easier to join blocks, it will also make a quilt lie flatter. In general, when we say patchwork, were talking about the first few steps of the quilting process the cutting, piecing, pressing and squaring of the fabric that makes up the quilt top. Pressing quilt seams sewing projects for beginners. This technique is, hands down, the absolute simplest thing in the world to do and the results are amazing no special tools or products to buy. Pressing seam allowances open press open when lots of seams come together in one spot, creating too much bulk. Jan 29, 2019 pressing the seams away from each other at the intersections will help you get a flatter piece of patchwork. First of all, a quilt pattern designer may instruct you to press your seams in a specific direction when creating a block to eliminate bulky seams. Sometimes i find the seams just go the way they want to but my general rule is to have as little bulk as possible and if need be i sometimes press the seams open too. When it comes to pressing quilt tops, awardwinning quilter linda pumphrey has strong opinions. Press method of using an iron to press seams and blocks. Theres more to come after that, but the patchwork always comes first. Mar 20, 2015 its always the basics that get us in trouble. As i was sewing together this quilt the completed quilt is here by the way, i finally figured out the trick.
Sometimes it might be best to press a quilts seam allowances open. Pressing, on the other hand, lets you turn seam allowances to one side without distorting your patchwork or applique shapes. Pressstripsandseamsquilting a few words about ironing. Ive heard this tip before, and every single time i try it, it refuses to work. Pressing seams open or to one side generations quilt patterns. Dana jones demonstrates step by step instructions on how to set your seams by pressing with a hot iron. However, that which is one of the most pleasurable moments in piecing and quilting can also do the most damage. The term nesting seams simply means aligning the seams of each row so that they not only line up nicely but seem to almost fit together perfectly like a puzzle piece. In recent years theres been an ongoing conversation in quilting circles about pressing. Fast forward to reading the post on quilt seams, and it made sense to me that if the seams were pressed to the side and then quilted along the length of the seam, then it would make for a stronger seam. I also recommend you use it at each step throughout your blocks construction.
I so want this method to work, and everyone who tries it swears by it. Thanks, hugely, for taking the time to write this great article and images am about to start a quilt and will use your pressseamstotheside habit with great delight. Mar 20, 2014 a shirt with sizing will have a newness look. May 19, 2014 some quilters prefer to press their seams open to make the quilt top lay flatter, but i usually prefer to press my seams to one side, which allows me to nest my seams and have nice intersections without using pins. Jan 06, 2017 but for the easiest and quickest patchwork quilt a beginner quilter could sew click here to see the quilt, nesting the seams is the best pressing option. If you cut and sew accurately but dont take time to press correctly, your patchwork can end up just as offkilter as it would if you had gone awry in the cutting or stitchin. Quilting involves a lot of pressing, from the fabric to the seams to the patchwork of pieces. I like to quilt my own quilts and often just do lots of simple quilting with the walking foot its nice to totally own the quilt. Nov 28, 2018 when it comes to pressing quilt tops, awardwinning quilter linda pumphrey has strong opinions. However, it depends on the construction of the block or the quilt. Some quilters prefer to press their seams open to make the quilt top lay flatter, but i usually prefer to press my seams to one side, which allows me to nest my seams and have nice intersections without using pins. One of the most pleasurable parts of piecing together a quilt is when you take your block to the iron to press it. Place the patchwork on your ironing board, unopened, just as it was sewn. At this point, i always add batting and backing to the fronts of my pillow covers.
Learn how to ensure the blocks in your quilts are the same size and your quilts finish strong and flat. Cabin in the cotton, shadow trail, and fan quadrille from mountain mist. When i am pressing my seams open, i use the front part of my iron down the length of the seam. Nesting seams and other tricks to avoid speed bumps in your quilt. This means simply pressing downwards on the seam with the iron from above and not moving the iron back and forth which can distort the block or seam. How to press quilt seams excerpted from the quilters quick reference guide by candace eisner strick. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. For a short season, i just used interfacing on the backs of the patchwork, but i decided to forego that plan and make the fronts just like a mini quilt. How to sew a quilted patchwork pillow cover the willow. It gives you that little added help in a clean seam intersection. Apr 28, 2016 the term nesting seams simply means aligning the seams of each row so that they not only line up nicely but seem to almost fit together perfectly like a puzzle piece. Instead press along the straight of grain and you are less likely to end up with a parallelogram. The iron is hot, and you have lots of pieces to flatten before stitching the units together to make your block.
For example, if you are pressing a hst unit, it is tempting to press towards the angled seam. Mar 28, 20 how to press quilt seams excerpted from the quilters quick reference guide by candace eisner strick. Proponents of pressing to one side say that it is easier to quilt if the seams are to the side. Yes, pressing seams open may lead to more stress being put on the seams and thus a risk of them popping open.
Tips for pressing seam allowances in quilt blocks duration. Learn the methodology for pressing quilt seams in this instructional video from national stitching circle. This method of pressing quilt blocks works just as well for paper piecing as traditionally pieced units. So you can use your iron with steam or without steam, and the first thing you should do is set your seam by pressing it closed. Pressing entails gently lowering and lifting the iron. This will relax the fabric and encourage stretching. You just spent time measuring, cutting, sorting, arranging, stitching and now you need to set, and flatten the seams, and take out any unwanted creases. This occurs because seams are pressed to opposite directions when sewing sections together. If you press too much, you can cause ridges in the front of the fabric from the seams in the back of the fabric.
Quilt tops are flatter when seams are pressed open. Stitching a quilt together is a dream when youve done a good job pressing your quilt blocks. Pressing the seams away from each other at the intersections will help you get a flatter piece of patchwork. On the other hand, you can use steam to relax and square up a finished block or quilt top. A little tutorial on making practically perfect points in quilt blocks. But for the easiest and quickest patchwork quilt a beginner quilter could sew click here to see the quilt, nesting the seams is the best pressing option. Setting seams and other pressing tips the crafty quilter. Nesting seams flat quilt tops and accurate piecing getas. However, that is more of a concern if your project is going to be very well loved and used like a pillow, with inserts coming in and out for washing, and being thrown or squashed or sat on or fought over. Tired of having those monster bumps in your quilt blocks or seams. Ideas patchwork quilting from shirts for 2019 outstanding 15 sewing tutorials projects are offered on our internet site. See why pressing quilt seams open can make for a perfect quilt.
How to press quilt blocks and quilts for best accuracy. This item ziiyan wool pressing mat, wool ironing pad for quilting, sewing, pressing seams, embroidery, patchwork and other diy crafts, x 14inchs vallenwood mat. Lets say your quilt block contains a row of pieced units with a total of 10 seam allowances in the row. By linda pumphrey im sure youve heard all the quiltpressing rules, such as always press toward the dark side or always press the seams open.
If your previously straight seams are now curved, then youre applying too much pressure as you push the iron across the. Nesting seams flat quilt tops and accurate piecing. I want my seams to be opposing so sometimes i need to press towards the lighter fabric to make that happen. Tips for pressing seam allowances in quilt blocks youtube. Julie encouraged her readers to leave a comment on the topic. You may find that you just cant avoid pressing some seams away from the darker fabric so that you can snuggle your seams when necessary. That quilter just finished making a huge labor of love. Sep 18, 2018 when constructing blocks with several intersecting corners, start by pressing the seam allowances for the units in the same direction to help them nestle together as you join them.
I dont like doing this because 1 its timeconsuming, and 2 it weakens the quilt top at all the seams. In this video i share with you my tips for pressing your patchwork. Pressing quilt seams to the side or open the spruce crafts. Pressing quilt seams national quilters circle youtube. This is done through a combination of pressing, pinning, and stitching. Pressing picking a hot iron up off your fabric or quilt top and then putting it down in another place to remove the wrinkles. If you drag the iron along the fabric, instead of just pressing down, you can distort the fabric. However, that is more of a concern if your project is going to be very well loved and used like a pillow, with inserts coming in and out for washing. If you must run your iron across your patchwork, again, go with the grain. Learn how to aviod speed bumps in quilts nesting seams, pins and other tricks.
The case for pressing to the side pressing quilt seams to the side is faster than pressing open and makes it easier to lock seams in place, sort of like a puzzle. Using quilt templates and specialty rulers to cut fabric. If you make a mistake during one of these stages, the entire project can go south in a hurry. Pressing quilt seams quilts, quilting tutorials, sewing circles. When my mom, sister, and i quilt together, the pressing of the quilt top can create controversy. A little tutorial on making practically perfect points in. How to make a simple patchwork quilt the polka dot chair. Pressing quilt seams quilts, quilting tutorials, sewing. I thought id give this theory a try and so, the quilt top pictured here has all seams pressed to the side. Jun 06, 20 so you can use your iron with steam or without steam, and the first thing you should do is set your seam by pressing it closed. Ironing is a more aggressive backandforth motion of the iron along the fabric that can pull and distort shapes. Mar 16, 2015 pressing quilt seams to the side is faster than pressing open and makes it easier to lock seams in place, sort of like a puzzle. Aurifil 50 wt charm about you hand piecing hand sewing liberty patchwork quilt quilting sewalong the farmers wife 1930s sampler quilt thread tutorial wonder clips wonderclips.
Additionally, careful pressing saves time because your quilt blocks will fit together exactly as they should when its time to assemble the quilt. But even in my hand quilting i rarely know ahead of time just what my quilting pattern will be, so i wouldnt know which way to press. Utilize these pressing techniques and see how beneficial pressing can be for your own quilts. Jan 07, 2016 aurifil 50 wt charm about you hand piecing hand sewing liberty patchwork quilt quilting sewalong the farmers wife 1930s sampler quilt thread tutorial wonder clips wonderclips i am going to show you how to hand piece patchwork, this is my favourite method for making my 1930s farmers wife blocks. If you cut and sew accurately but dont take time to press correctly, your patchwork can end up just as offkilter as it would if you had gone awry in the cutting or stitching.
If you make a mistake during one of these stages, the. Pressing seams open vs to the side written by julie, from the crafty quilter. Basically there are three rules when pressing patchwork. Quilt block piecing trick for matching seams michele made me. See, i had learned about nesting the seams and pinning and such before, but the day before yesterday the stars aligned, the heavens opened up and, i understood. When i press seams for a fourpatch, i like to pop the center of the unit to make the center lay flat. It is exciting to see your work pressed flat and how good your block looks. Like many of you, i took many quilting classes that taught me to press my quilt seams to the side actually to the dark side. The seams spiral around the center in one direction. When to use steam and starch in patchwork quilt books. You must plan ahead so that at each intersection the seams are pressed in opposite directions. The fabric that the seam allowance will be pressed toward should be. I so want this method to work, and everyone who tries it. When constructing blocks with several intersecting corners, start by pressing the seam allowances for the units in the same direction to help them nestle together as you join them.
Most quilters press seams open when making the backing for a quilt. If you are machine quilting, the number of layers is not very important. Also, never use steam when pressing exposed bias edges. Quilting, especially hand quilting, is easier when seam allowances are not doubled up. Correctly pressing the many seams on patchwork quilts like this back to basics design allows the. If your previously straight seams are now curved, then youre applying too much pressure as you push the iron across the fabric. Since finishing my scrappy blocks quilt, ive discovered that not all quilters press their seams open. In the block below, i pressed the seams toward the dark fabric on each halfsquare triangle, making them march counterclockwise on the back of my block. Nesting seams means pressing the seam allowances in opposite directions. Which method is betterpressing seams to one side or pressing seams openand why. Then, normally, you would press your seam to the darker fabric. I keep coming back to pressing all my seams open so i can actually see the seams. Never underestimate the value of good pressing in your quiltmaking.
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